DABS spokesperson:
Wahidullah Tawhidi, former Spokesman to the Ministry of Finance in 20130510 (20140107, 20150525. 20200225)

Background:

Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) says that the governmental offices owe more than seven billion AFN of the electricity bills. DABS suggested to take 50 million USD loan from the government. Breshna says that some of the governmental offices owe 7.9 billion AFN out of which, the Ministries of Defense and Interior Affairs owe 3.2 million AFN. DABS said that they have shared its problem with the government, and if these problems are not addressed, 80% of the imported electricity will be cut. This comes as the Ministry of Finance confirms that some governmental offices have not paid electricity bills, and that it will transfer the money to DABS from the budgets of these ministries at the end of fiscal year. The MOF Spokesperson added that the liability problem of these ministries is shared with the office of CSTC-A. Experts of economy believe that the ministry of finance should solve the financial problem of DABS, otherwise the whole country will be in trouble.(20200416)

Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) on 24 Feb 2020 released a list of names of top government officials including First Vice President General Abdul Rashid Dostum, Mohammad Karim Khalili, a former vice president to ex-president Hamid Karzai, former Jihadi commander Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayaf and a number of MPs, among others who have not paid their electricity bills.The list contained the names of 73 main debtors who have not paid their electricity bills. According to DABS, from among the powerful figures who have failed to pay their bills, 24 of them are from Kohdaman district of Kapisa province.(20200225)

President Ashraf Ghani dismissed five top officials of the Da Afghanistan Breshna Shirkat (DABS) and appointed their deputies as acting heads of their respective departments. Heads of operation, finance, commerce, Kabul branch and PMO project have been sacked.(20160531)

The Independent Joint Anti-Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (MEC) on Thursday cleared the Da Afghanistan Breshana Shirkat (ABS) in a more than 200 billion afghanis disappearance claim as ‘a technical mistake.’ The MEC said the mentioned amount had directly been spent by the donors and the DABS had no role in allocation of those funds. The MEC 2017 published a report regarding administrative corruption in the power utility, in which the disappearance of 207.5 billion afghanis foreign aid was also included. Addressing reporters here, MEC Commissioner Bari Salam accepted a technical mistake had been committed in the MEC report regarding the 207.5 billion afghanis. He said after evaluation of DABS documents regarding the amount, it became clear that the amount had been spent by donor countries in the energy sector and spent by foreigners from DABS budget and the power utility had not control of its management.(20180810)

More Background:
Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) is an state owned independent and autonomous electricity company established under The Corporations and Limited Liabilities Law of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (IROA). DABS is a limited liability company with all its equity shares owned by the Government of Afghanistan (GoA). The company was incorporated on 4th May 2008 (15 Saur 1387) and replaces Da Afghanistan Breshna Moassassa (DABM) as the national power utility. DABS will operate and manage electric power generation, import, transmission, and distribution throughout Afghanistan on a commercial basis.

DABS’ shares are owned by the Government, voted on by Government representatives. As per the Articles of Incorporation, the Initial capital shall be AFS 25 billion; the ultimate capital shall be AFS 100 billion.

DABS shares are owned by

Ministry of Finance 45%

Ministry of Energy and Water 35%

Ministry of Economy 10%

Ministry of Urban Planning and Development 10

There are mainly two government organs involved in this sector; The Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW), and Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS). DABS or Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat is an autonomous organ and is no longer functioning directly under the Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW); rather it holds the shares from four ministries, i.e. Ministry of Finance (45%), Ministry of Energy and Water (35%), Ministry of Economy (10%) and Ministry of Urban Development Affairs (10%).